An Unsolicited Romance
by Ecorley
Summary: Rowan wasn't looking for romance but it found her anyway in the form of Detective Don Flack.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! This is juat a short snippet of something I've been contemplating writing. I'm not sure if this will just be a series of small chapters or if I will make it into a full fledged story. I guess it all depends on your feedback. This is unfinished and has not been edited but I wanted to get it out there to see if it is even worth continuing. If you guys like it, let me know please and I'll try and finish the first chapter.**

 **Thanks! - Ecorley**

I had only been in New York about three weeks when I met Don Flack. I should have known right then that he was going to be trouble….

I was born and raised in a small town in Louisiana. I'm 28, single, and perfectly happy with that in fact. After a string of failed relationships over the last few years, I decided to give up the dating scene for a while and focus strictly on my career. This decision came at the just the right time. The bank I had worked for the last 8 years decided to expand and ended up buying out another smaller banking institution. Because of the merger, my company decided to create a new (but temporary) position to the bank: Operations Liaison Coach. I had started the bank as a teller but had worked my way up to an assistant manager by the time the merger happened. I had been a very liked and successful assistant manager for nearly 3 years, so when the announcement was made that the company was looking for employees to fill these special, temporary positions, my branch manager immediately recommended me. I was hesitant about it when I first heard exactly what the job entailed. I would be traveling to some of the larger bank branches that the company had acquired in the merger to help the employees adjust to the changes and teach them how we did business. Some branches only needed my help for a few weeks, but others were more complicated and required a longer stay. I took a chance and accepted the position, determined to get out of my comfort zone and experience new things. When I was told my latest assignment would take me to New York City, I had been extremely excited. Most of the places I had traveled to were banks in smaller cities, the longest stay only being a little over a month.

New York was somewhere I had always day dreamed about visiting but never had the courage to actually go by myself so my hope was that on my off time, I would be able to explore and enjoy everything the city had to offer. Unfortunately, that hadn't been the case since I had arrived. The branch I was currently working at was short staffed, extremely busy, and had two fairly new managers who, bless their hearts, were completely clueless. I was forced to spend my time helping them with customers rather than coaching them on the correct bank procedures.

The day I met Don had been the worst day I'd had since arriving in New York. The small, furnished apartment my company had put me up in during the duration of my stay was only a few blocks from the branch so I was usually one of the first people to arrive each morning. That wasn't the case on this particular day. Each night before going to bed, I would set my alarm on my phone and then plug it in to charge….unfortunately, that hadn't happened the previous night.

 **Friday morning, 7:07am**

I woke slowly and opened my eyes, wincing when I felt the pounding in my head. The first thing I saw on the small table next to the bed was the empty wine glass from last night. I let out a groan, remembering how I had slaughtered the bottle of wine I had picked up from a small liquor store the night before on my way home from work. This week had been hell and I figured I was entitled to celebrate the upcoming weekend one day early. Of course, now I would be spending my Friday with a massive headache. I rolled over onto my back, rubbing my eyes furiously and then flopping my arms down hard onto the bed. I kicked my feet under the covers and let out a whine of frustration at having to actually get out of the surprisingly, comfy bed. The noise from the small fan I had sitting on the table across the room drowned out just enough of the traffic noise from outside that I could have easily fallen back asleep. I knew I would drift off it I laid there much longer so I counted to ten and then opened my eyes slowly, squinting against the bright sunlight streaming through the curtains.

 _Wait a minute….why the hell is it so bright?_

I quickly rolled over on my side again and snatched my cell phone off the table, cursing when I saw it was dead. I picked up the delicate, silver wrist watch that was sitting next to it and squinted as I tried to read the time. My brain was still foggy from sleep (or maybe that big ass bottle of wine) so it took much longer than it should have to figure out the time.

 **7:50 am**

"Son of a bitch" I groaned, yanking off the covers and jumping out of the bed. I tripped on the pair of heels I had kicked off last night and fell into the wall, smacking the side of my head into it rather hard but managing not to fall completely onto the floor. I reached up and rubbed the knot on my head, wincing at the pain and glaring at the traitorous black pumps on the floor before me. Immature as it was, I raised my middle finger to them before stumbling my way into the small bathroom to shower.

I was usually awake by 6:30am and almost always dressed and out the door no later than 7:45. The walk to the bank was quick and most mornings I would stop at a small coffee shop to pick up a bagel to eat on the way. That wasn't going to be the case today. I was showered, dressed, and out the door within 25 minutes, trading the treacherous black heels still lying next to the bed for some comfortable flats. I rushed down the stairs of the apartment building, shoving my dead phone and charger into my bag as I went. I power walked toward the bank, trying my hardest to keep myself from getting pushed and shoved by people walking in the opposite direction. I was shocked the first time I had walked down the street in New York City. I had grown up the south and I always tell people that Southern hospitality is a real thing. The first time a guy had bumped my shoulder during my morning walk to work, I had shrugged it off as someone who was just in hurry. I was wrong. New York City was brutal and people could be downright rude sometimes.

My head was pounding and my calves were burning from the fast pace I was attempting to keep. I felt sick to my stomach and swallowed hard several times to keep from puking up the red wine I had consumed last night. Usually I wasn't much of a drinker, especially in the middle of the week, but yesterday had been awful. I had adjusted to being the outsider at work but it was tough living in an unfamiliar place and having no real friends to spend time with or vent to about my day. Don't get me wrong, the employees were certainly nice enough but obviously things were kept professional since my stay wasn't permanent. It didn't seem to make sense to try and form friendships with people who I would more than likely never see again after my job was completed. A few of the men had tried to get more than just friendly with me and I had shut it down real quick. The last thing I was looking for was a man in my life and I wasn't interested in casual sex or a quick fling with some guy I barely knew.

I stopped walking as I reached the crosswalk and waited for the light to turn so I could cross the street. I glanced down at my watch again and let out a frustrated huff at seeing the time.

 **8:29am**

A group of people were gathering around me, all waiting for the light to change so they could also cross the street. The man beside me was talking loudly on his cell phone and waving his hands around as he spoke. I gritted my teeth the first time he smacked my shoulder with his flailing hand and took a small step away from him, wrapping my arms around myself. The second time it happened, I turned my head sharply in his direction and glared at him which did absolutely no good since he was still angrily talking to the person on the other end of the line. After the third and then fourth time it happened, I'd had enough. I yanked the strap of my purse more securely on my shoulder and turned to face him, ready to give him a piece of my mind. I took a deep breath and opened my mouth to speak, only to see the man suddenly bolt forward and make his way to the other side. The people behind me surged forward, pushing me to the left and then right and letting angry huffs out when I didn't immediately move too.

"Get out the way lady" I heard someone mutter as they passed.

I stood shocked on the curb for a moment before finally shaking my head, gritting my teeth, and stepping out to cross the street.

 _It's just a little farther Rowan. Just another block and you can go hide in the break room at work for a good 10 minutes and get your shit together._

I had almost completely crossed the street when I heard the commotion coming from the other side. Shouts and screams rang out and I could see people moving quickly out of the way of someone running though the horde of pedestrians. I didn't even have time to wonder what the hell was going on before I saw a man push through the crowd of people who had already made it to the curb. I stopped in my tracks when I saw the gun he held in his hand. He rushed towards me, two men hot on his heels, and I froze, not sure exactly what to do.

The guy slowed down and quickly looked behind him to see his pursuers had caught up with him. When he turned back around, I saw the panic in his eyes and knew I was in deep shit. I turned around to bolt in the opposite direction but felt his arms wrap around my chest and pull me roughly against his body and drag me back around.

"Move" I heard someone shout, "Police! Get out the way people"

Two men suddenly pushed through the crowd. The first was dressed in a pair of jeans and a simple button up shirt. He raised the gun in his hand and pointed it in my direction. I jumped, confused for a moment, before remembering the guy behind me who was apparently now using me as a human shield. My eyes darted between him and the second man who suddenly appeared beside the first, also carrying a gun that was now pointed at me.

 _What the fuck!? Holy shit! Shit…shit….SHIT! Stay calm Rowan…they're not technically pointing the gun at you._

My heart sank when I felt cold metal pressed against the side of my head, coincidentally the same side that I had bumped against the wall this morning when I'd stumbled over my high heels. I didn't mean to jerk against the guy but he pressed the gun directly on the knot and pushed harder; my southern temper got the best of me.

"Watch it asshole" I spat out.

He ignored me and instead tightened his hold on and thrust the hand holding the gun forward, now pointing it at the two men on the sidewalk. His hand shook and I could hear just how shaky his breath was as he exhaled against my neck.

My eyes settled on the two men and I judged from his appearance that the second man had to be some kind of cop. I could see a badge attached to the leather belt he wore and a gun holster on his hip. He was shouting at the guy behind me, telling him to lower his gun, let me go, and get on the ground with his hands above his head.

The sound of my blood pumping filled my ears and I heard nothing else of what they were saying. The man behind me was shouting wildly, jerking me back and forth as he moved in place but keeping his gun pointed at the officers. I was trying hard not to throw up, not because I was scared but because his erratic movement was making the drunken nauseous feeling return. I couldn't make out the words the man was shouting but from his tone, he was scared shitless. Unfortunately for him, I was not scared shitless, I was pissed! I was hung over, sick to my stomach, late for work and at this point I'd had enough. I don't know how many seconds or minutes may have passed but it was time for this to come to an end, I had to get to work. The gun in his hand was now shaking violently and it was then that I noticed the safety was still on. I rolled my eyes and muttered, "Oh for fucks sake"

I pushed my arms hard against his, catching him off guard, managing to wiggle from his grasp and turned around to face him. He was younger than I expected, maybe in his late teens or early twenties. I didn't know what he had done to have the police get involved but at that moment, I didn't give a shit, I was mad.

His recovered quickly and tried to raise his arm again and point the gun in my face but I my stern tone stopped him in his tracks.

"Don't you dare…"I seethed, my anger forcing the southern accent I generally tried to hide to come out. I pulled my purse from my shoulder and let it fall to the ground as I put my hand on my hip. "You put that gun down right now like they asked….right now mister" I yelled again when he hesitated. I don't know if it was my stern, country accent, the hand on the hip, or the fear of getting shot by the cops that did it, but the young man lowered his gun and placed it slowly on the ground. (It hindsight, it was probably the gun because I couldn't imagine anyone being scared of a 120 lb, 5'3 pip squeak like me, regardless of how angry she may be)

One of the men behind me rushed forward, bumping my shoulder in the process and pissing me off even more.

"Hey…" I balked, "…I'm getting a little tired of getting pushed around here. Watch it!"

It was the second man that had appeared, the cop, who glanced back at me with an amused smile on his face. He kicked the young man's gun away from him and began patting him down as I watched, my hand still on my hip. I felt a hand on my arm and I swung around quickly to see the first man that had appeared was now holding his hands up defensively, smiling at me.

"Whoa lady, I'm just seeing if you're okay" he said softly. "I'm Danny Messer, I'm a CSI with the New York Police department" he explained and then pointed at the other man, "…that's Detective Don Flack….and that is our suspect"

I looked behind me, seeing that a uniformed officer had appeared and Detective Flack was rising from his crouched position to come and stand next to me. I finally had a good chance to look at him and I swallowed hard and lowered my eyes to hide the blush in my cheeks that I knew had suddenly appeared.

He was gorgeous. There was no other way to describe him. I was mentally marking every attribute he had off my imaginary checklist for the perfect looking man. He was tall, over 6 feet with an athletic build and the sexiest smile I had ever seen. His smile revealed a set of perfectly white teeth that made his bright blue eyes stand out. As he came to stand beside his friend, I got of whiff of some kind of men's cologne.

 _Oh God, he smells as good as he looks. Good LORD!_

"Ma'am, are you okay?" he asked, touching my arm gently when I didn't answer right away.

I looked up and my eyes connected with his. I felt the pitter patter of my heart and silently admonished myself for behaving like some silly school girl. Nonetheless, I broke eye contact and looked at everything else except Detective Don Flack's baby blues.

"I'm fine, thank you" I replied, "…but I really need to get going" I walked around the detective and picked my purse up off the ground and slung it back onto my shoulder. I had to get out of there before I made a complete fool of myself.

 _Damn me and my inability to handle being around super attractive men…_

He grabbed my arm again, "Whoa there, not just yet. We need to get a statement from you" he said as he looked over at Messer grinning. "Did you see that man?" he said, chuckling. "I don't think I've ever see anything quite as impressive"

I wasn't paying attention to their conversation. I was looking down at his hand that was gently holding on to my arm. The skin underneath my blazer felt like it was on fire and I pulled away as politely as I could.

I cleared my throat and opened and closed my mouth several times, trying to find the words that would magically get me out of there right as soon as possible.

"I'm late for work" I said, finally looking up at Flack and hoping I looked pathetic enough that he gave me a break and let me leave.

He looked me over slowly, his forehead creasing in thought. He nodded his head and gave me a smile.

"Tell you what, I'll let you leave but I need to get your information so I can come get a statement from you later. Agreed?" he asked.

I let out a sigh of relief, "Agreed…thank you!"


	2. Chapter 2

**I hope you guys enjoy the most recent chapter. Let me know what you think! - Ecorley**

Chapter 2

"You got an ID on you?" the handsome Detective Flack asked, a smile still ghosting his lips as him and Messer shared quick glances at each other. I immediately wondered what secret they were sharing with each other and silently hoped they weren't discreetly laughing at me.

"Yes" I said softly. He lowered his head but I could see his grin widen and I watched as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a notepad and pen. He glanced back up at me and I got caught up in those baby blue eyes once again.

"May I see it?"

I heard what he said but my logical mind had ceased to function and had been overtaken by what can only be described as the brain of a love sick, hormonal, sixteen year old girl. My biggest weakness in life was an overly attractive man; it had afflicted me for years and resulted in most of the top embarrassing moments of my life. Tongue-tied Rowan usually came out and she wasn't nearly as charming as professional me, Ms. Rowan Stills, super bank employee.

The seconds passed and my head began spinning as I tried to decide exactly what shade of blue the detective's eyes reminded me of….

 **Cerulean?**

 **Sky blue?**

 **Sapphire?**

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't realize exactly how much time had passed….apparently it was enough to cause the detective some sense of unease. I was probably giving off a creeper vibe and if so, I hoped that I'd die of embarrassment quickly to get it over with.

His eyes had faded from a bright and amused look to one of concern, "Ma'am, are you feeling okay? You may be in shock." Without hesitating, he turned to the CSI standing beside him, "Danny, let's get an EMT out here to check on her" he said before turning back to face me. He stepped closer and I was once again made aware of his significant height advantage. He loomed over me and for a moment I wished I had worn those traitorous heels after all.

It took great restraint not to stumble back when the man raised his palm and pressed it softly against my forehead. His hand was warm against my cold, clammy skin and I once again admonished myself for the bottle of wine I had consumed the previous evening. The hangover should have been penance enough but it seemed as if fate had other punishments in mind…embarrassing the hell out of my for instance. I swallowed hard and despite my humiliation, I reached up and pulled the man's hand away from my forehead. I enjoyed another whiff of his cologne as I patted his hand politely before releasing it and forcing a smile to my face, one that I knew didn't reach my eyes but generally fooled most people into believing whatever I said.

The CSI had nodded and was turning to speak to the uniformed officer when I finally managed to put two words together into a comprehensible sentence.

"Please..." I spoke up, reaching out to touch the man's shoulder, "I'm fine…really" I said firmly when I saw the way he hesitated and looked back at Detective Flack for affirmation.

I really didn't want to explain to them that I looked like shit because I was hung over and that my spacing out was due to the simple fact that Don Flack was the sexiest thing I'd seen since arriving in New York…maybe the sexiest thing I'd seen ever, the jury was still out on that one. The man radiated charisma and confidence which made my inability to interact with him even worse.

As if to prove my point, I reached into my purse and pulled out my wallet to retrieve my ID for the detective, forcing another fake smile to my lips as I handed it over, swallowing my nervousness and willing myself to lock eyes with Mr. Handsome and maintain some semblance of a normal conversation.

He looked down at me and I could tell he was trying to decide if I was being completely honest with him. My heart began to pitter patter again as I forced myself to keep my eyes locked on his, memorizing each facial feature so I could swoon later in private. He broke eye contact to share a glance with his colleague and shook his head at him before turning back to me. I let out small sigh of relief when I saw the CSI cancel his request and looked up once again at the detective.

Don Flack was now eyeing my driver's license with curiosity, "Louisiana huh? You're a long way from home Ms. Stills" he mused, glancing up at me with another killer smile.

"Please…call me Rowan" I insisted.

I watched as the detective continued to smile as he wrote down my information, "May I ask what brings you to New York Rowan?"

I couldn't help but smile at the sound of my name rolling off his tongue and nodded before I began explaining my job and which branch I was currently working at in town.

"So you're only in New York temporarily?" Detective Flack asked as he wrote down the apartment address I had just softly recited to him. His smile had faded some and he gave his coworker a look as he finished writing the information in his notepad.

I had been watching him as he wrote down my personal information, enjoying the way his eyes crinkled as he smiled.

"Yes sir Detective Flack" I replied, nodding my head and taking my ID from his now extended hand before looking down at my watch. I saw how late it was and swallowed hard, quickly remembering the hangover that was still plaguing me. The nausea had suddenly returned and I was ready to make a hasty retreat to the bank. My plan was to hide myself away in a back office and spend the day finishing paperwork and nursing the hangover that was quickly causing a pounding headache.

I was tucking my ID back in the plastic cover of my wallet when I heard the man say something I didn't catch.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked, looking back up at him.

"Don…" he said louder,"…that's my name" he explained, his smile returning as he stuffed his notepad and pen back into his jacket pocket.

"Oh..." I chuckled, a genuine smile finally spreading across my face, "…sorry, I'm a little off today"

Don chuckled and motioned to the two police cars parked on the curb, "Well, I can't imagine why" he joked.

I didn't bother telling him that I had been off long before his suspect had snatched me up as a hostage in the middle of a crowded street.

We stood staring at each other for a few moments before the ringing of my cell phone broke the silence.

"May I?" I asked politely, holding up my cell phone.

"Go right ahead" he replied just as politely, continuing to look down at me with a smile on his face. For a second, I wondered if he was mocking my good Southern manners.

I groaned when I saw who it was and ignored the laugh that suddenly burst from the man standing in front of me. I could only imagine what kind of look I had just given upon seeing who was on the other end of the phone. Rebecca was going to be a good manager but she was still much too reliant on me. I knew me being late had thrown her off. I was always with her in the morning as she did her opening procedures so this was her first time doing everything solo. I couldn't guess what the panicked voice on the other line was going to blurt out but I also knew I was only minutes from the branch so whatever issue she was having, I would be there to fix it in just a few moments.

I swiped my finger across the screen and didn't even bother with a greeting, "I'll be there in 5 minutes" I said quickly before hanging up and throwing my phone back in my purse.

"Duty calls?" he asked plainly.

"Duty calls" I confirmed with a nod, hoisting my purse higher up on my shoulder.

"I'll come by your work this afternoon to get your statement…it was nice meeting you Rowan" he said, extending his hand.

I stole one last glance at his handsome face before reaching my hand out to shake his. His grip was firm but gentle and his hand still warm even though the air was chilly outside today.

"You as well Detec…Don…" I quickly corrected, giving him a sincere smile. Not to be rude, I turned to the CSI who I suddenly realized had been observing our entire interaction. From the knowing smile on his face, I could tell he realized I was swooning a bit over his friend, the detective.

Not to be rude, I reached my hand out to the second man, "Mr. Messer, it was a pleasure to meet you."

He looked surprised for a moment but gave my hand a quick shake, "…it's Danny…" he laughed, "…and believe me, the pleasure is all mine...or rather Detective Flack's pleasure" he added, giving me a wink.

I glanced back over at the Detective and knew he had heard what his friend had said because he had lowered his eyes and was shaking his head. If it had been anyone else… someone less perfect looking, less manly, someone that exuded less charisma…I might have thought he was blushing a little. Perhaps he was embarrassed for me. Surely, a man like him wouldn't look twice at someone mousey like me but it was apparently very obvious to the CSI that I was attracted to his partner.

A nervous giggle escaped my lips but I gave no other response…faking ignorance seemed much easier than trying to deny it. I knew I was blushing bright pink but with the hangover rearing its ugly head, perhaps it made my clammy, white skin look a more natural, normal color.

"Well thank you both for your help" I said to Danny before turning back to the detective, "…and I suppose I'll see you later Detective...Don" I corrected when I saw the look he gave me.

I was rewarded with a small smile and a nod.

"Yes ma'am", he confirmed.

I gave the detective one last nod before turning around and making a mad dash down the sidewalk toward my branch, hoping that I hadn't just made a complete idiot of myself. My only solace was knowing that after I gave my statement, I would probably never have to see Detective Don Flack again, thus eliminating any chance of making an ass out of myself in some ridiculous way. I would never admit it out loud, but the thought of never seeing those beautiful eyes of his again left me feeling a certain type of way.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hope you guys enjoy. Let me know what you think! Reviews are appreciated and give me motivation to keep writing. -Ecorley**

My plan for hiding in the back office of the bank to nurse my hangover did not get to happen on this busy Friday. Chaos! From the moment I walked in the door, it was nothing but chaos. Two tellers called in sick….the vault wouldn't open…lines of customers nearly out the door. 3 hours into the day and I had not even sat down yet, much less made it back there to hide. I had managed to pop a couple of Tylenol before I jumped in to tackle the list of problems that needed dealing with.

I knew Don had said it would be this afternoon before he would make it by the branch so for the first few hours of the day, I didn't bother watching the clock. As soon as 1:00pm hit, I couldn't keep my eyes off of it, or the front door for that matter. I had been stuck working the teller line, which was definitely not on my list of duties but couldn't be avoided since we were so short-handed. Rebecca was at the station next to me, both of us working as fast as we could to keep the line down and allow the other two tellers to take lunch breaks before sending the bankers.

Luckily the pounding headache from this morning had dulled over the course of the morning after I guzzled bottle after bottle of cold water. By the time the line of customers had faded away, I felt almost back to normal but decided to skip lunch anyway. After making sure each employee got their break, I finally made my way to an empty glass office near the front door so I could keep an eye on everything while I had a conference call and attempted to finish a load of paperwork. Or at least I told myself I just wanted to keep an eye on everything…deep down I knew that I was actually keeping an eye out for that fine-looking detective coming to take my statement.

As I sat in the office listening to a conference call of our regional director droning on about sales and acquisition targets, my mind began wandering back to Don Flack. I couldn't help remembering how he had looked like he was blushing at what Danny had said about it being Don's pleasure to meet me. I assumed he had been embarrassed for me but maybe he really had been blushing. I went over the entire interaction in my head again and again, wondering if it was possible that a man like him could be the slightest bit interested in a plain, Southern girl like me. The more I thought about it, the less likely it seemed to be true. Besides, I was only in New York on a temporary basis so even if it was a possibility, it didn't seem like a smart decision to pursue any kind of relationship with the man, no matter how hot he was.

 **But he's tall….**

 **And his eyes are so blue…**

 **He smelled good too…**

 **Oh for fucks sake Rowan, snap out of it! That boy is too hot for you girl and you said you were done with relationships for now, remember?!**

The time continued to tick by and I looked at the clock and let out a sigh. It was 4:00 and still no sign of Don. I glanced out the window of the office hoping to spot him in the crowd of people rushing by but no such luck. My stomach suddenly let out an angry growl and my attention was drawn away from the blue eyes of Don Flack to the much more important problem of what I would be having for my first and only meal of the day. After the morning I'd had, I figured I deserved to leave a little early to pick up dinner and start my weekend. I would give the detective until 4:45 to show up and then I was out of here for the day.

I got a little miffed as I watched the minutes tick by and he still hadn't shown up yet. I suppose I was more upset with myself because of how anxious I was to see him again. I tried to rationalize that I was just wanting to put the whole incident from this morning behind me and giving my statement finalized that but deep down I knew the truth. I hadn't been attracted to a man since my last relationship went south….around the same time I swore them off completely…that was until he popped onto the scene this morning. The more I thought about Don Flack, the more I fantasized about what a steamy relationship with him would be like.

It didn't matter how attractive I found him because I knew that I could be sent to a new city any time in the next few weeks. I enjoyed the job I was in currently but it really was a bit lonely, especially not having friends close by to vent on those really hard days. My best and oldest friend was hundreds of miles away in Louisiana and was dealing with her own problems right now. I missed Bethany but since I had taken on this new role, we had begun to grow apart and didn't talk on the phone or text nearly as much as we use to. Before starting this job, Bethany would have been the first person I called or texted after meeting a hot guy like Don. I may have even been brave or sly enough to snap a photo to show her just how great looking he was….and knowing her, she would have assured me that he had indeed been blushing (because obviously he was in love with me) and that I needed to snatch him up quick. Bethany always had a way of making me feel less ridiculous and embarrassed about my inability to deal with men. I knew she would understand my feelings about not wanting to get involved with a man that I surely wouldn't be able to have a long distance relationship with (she'd briefly tried to date a man who lived in California and it didn't work because of the distance) but she would have still tried to convince me that a hot fling or casual sex was definitely still worth it. That just wasn't the person I was so I knew fantasizing about Don Flack any longer was absolutely pointless.

I glanced at the clock one last time and saw that it was nearly 4:45 pm. I let out a disappointed sigh and began gathering my paperwork. I grabbed my cellphone charger and threw it back in my purse before heading to Rebecca's office to let her know I was cutting out early. She was surprised but gave me a big smile and told me to enjoy my weekend off. I gave everyone a quick wave before exiting the bank and heading in the direction of my apartment. I had put my earphones in and turned on some music as I navigated the loud, busy sidewalks of the city. I found that it made my walks home much more enjoyable and helped keep my temper in check as I got pushed and shoved around.

I had decided to stop at the pizza place not far from home to pick up dinner. I figured after everything that had occurred this morning, I deserved to splurge on something delicious and Maurice's had been my go to place since arriving in New York city. I had easily eaten there at least 2-3 times a week in the 3 weeks I had been there. I quickly dialed the number on my cell phone and smiled when I heard the voice of Moe, the owner. I had immediately liked the older man the first time I had met him. Each time I had gone in to pick up food, he was there behind the counter making pizzas and chatting up the customers. I continued my walk to the restaurant, attempting to not get man handled on the crowded streets.

After having a quick chat with Moe, during which he made sure to remind me that I was too pretty to be spending my Friday night alone, I paid for my pizza, put my earphones back in, and began walking the last block home. It wasn't easy maneuvering around people while carrying the large box but I managed and arrived at the entrance to my apartment shortly after 5:15.

I was softly singing Magic Carpet Ride as I struggled to unlock the front door of the apartment building while attempting not to drop my dinner on the ground. I had finally gotten the door unlocked and was trying to get my shoulder wedged in enough to push it the rest of the way open when I felt a hand grab the arm that held my purse. Startled and assuming someone was trying to rob me, I whipped around quickly, unintentionally ramming my pizza box into their stomach and forcing the person to let out a grunt at the surprisingly sturdy cardboard. I had already had one brush with danger today…I certainly wasn't ready for another incident. Hungry and pissed off, I stood there ready to face the person.

My heart sank when I saw it was Don Flack standing behind me, rubbing the spot on his stomach where I had hit him with my pizza. I quickly dropped the purse to my feet and balanced the pizza box on top before ripping out the ear buds.

"Shit, I'm so sorry" I said, stepping forward to reach out to him.

There had been pizza flour on the side of the box and I quickly brushed it from his crisp, white button up shirt as I continued to apologize over and over again. My heart was still racing, not only from being startled into thinking I was being robbed, but also from the sheer embarrassment of the situation.

"Rowan…" I heard Don say, "…it's okay"

I stopped brushing my hand over his shirt but didn't move it from his stomach and looked up at him. I was once again reminded of how tall he was as he looked down at me and just how close we were standing to each other.

"I'm sorry" I said softly as I looked straight in his eyes. I felt him take a deep breath and realized my fingers were still resting on the side of his stomach, in much too intimate a way for two people who had just met. Horrified, I pulled them away quickly and stepped back, breaking eye contact with him and taking a deep breath to calm myself down.

I pressed one hand to my chest and felt my heart pounding wildly while the other fanned my face. I finally gathered my wits enough to look up and see Don Flack still standing there, a silly grin on his face as he watched me compose myself.

Embarrassed and seeing how much the whole situation was amusing him, my temper flared, "You scared the shit out of me Detective Flack", I said, purposely not using his first name to show my irritation. If we were better acquainted, I might have slapped his arm in frustration like I would have done to any other friend who had just scared the bejeezus out of me.

"I told you to call me…" Don stopped when he saw me place my hand on my hip and then smiled wider, "…hey, I said your name several times to get your attention" he shrugged his shoulder and then raised his hands defensively as he grinned, "…but apparently you were too busy singing to hear me" he said, reaching out to touch the ear buds hanging around my neck.

I felt like an idiot and my anger immediately faded away. He let out a snicker as I once again started apologizing profusely and began picking my purse and pizza box off of the ground.

"It's me that should be apologizing Ms. Stills. I should have come to get your statement earlier today but I got caught up on a case I'm working on. When I got to the bank, one of your coworkers said you had just left…I figured I'd take a chance and see if you were home" he explained.

His apology seemed sincere and I had to admit, I was glad to see him again.

 **He's just here to get your statement Rowan….he's only here because he has to be here, it's his job.**

 **But he could have waited until Monday…maybe he wanted to see me again too.**

 **That's true…naw, probably not but you might as well enjoy your last time seeing him girl….you might as well suck it up and attempt some conversation.**

I shook the pizza box at him and smiled at him playfully, "Well I made a little detour first…but here I am"

He looked down at the pizza box in my hand and his smile grew wider, "Is that a pizza from Maurice's?" he asked.

"Yep…" I said, lifting the lid to the box a little to let the divine smell flood into the air between us, "…ham and mushroom, double cheese"

Don looked shocked for a moment and then let out a hearty laugh.

"What?" I asked, enjoying the sound of his laughter and the way his blue eyes shined with amusement. I was proud of myself for managing to get two words out without seeming like a fool.

"That is my favorite kind of pizza…" he replied.

"Mine too" I laughed out.

He stared at me with a look in his eyes that I couldn't quite figure out, "Must be fate"

"Must be" I replied softly, holding his gaze.

I don't know what it was about this man but everything about him drew me in. It made no sense because I barely knew him. The only thing I did know was that he was hot and those kinds of men had always rubbed me the wrong way. In my past experiences, 9 times out of 10, men that looked like Don Flack were almost always self-absorbed, condescending, cocky, sonsabitches who thought they were God's gift to women.

 **Maybe he's that 1 Rowan…that exception to the rule.**

It was true that in the short interaction I'd had with Don Flack today, he'd never once given me that asshole vibe…in fact, he had been nothing but kind. The more I thought about it, the more I felt foolish for my inability to interact with him like a normal human being.

 **It's time to suck it up girl and act like a grown up.**

I took a deep breath and flashed the detective a true, genuine Rowan Stills smile, "I guess if it's your favorite then it would certainly be rude of me to not offer you a slice, right?"

"That's right…and I get the impression that you aren't usually rude" he joked back.

I shrugged my shoulders, "My momma always taught me to kill 'em with kindness" I said, letting my country accent shine through as I quoted my mother.

Don smiled and nodded his head, "Even when it's a guy waving a gun around and taking you hostage?"

"Hey…" I said defensively, "…he started it! I think he had that coming. Besides, I wasn't rude, I was stern. Big difference…and he kinda deserved it. I'm sure you weren't chasing him down for no good reason"

His smile faded and a more harsh look appeared on his face, "Oh no, we had very good reason, trust me"

I nodded my head, "I'll believe you"

We stood in silence for a moment before I chimed in again, "You know, I wasn't kidding about offering you a slice. Would you like to come up?"

Don's smile reappeared, "Do you always invite strange men you barely know up to your apartment for pizza?" he asked.

"Are you a strange man?" I joked.

He shrugged his shoulders and gave me a devilish grin, "Maybe"

I stared at him long and hard, up and down, before shrugging my own shoulders and responded, "Ehhh, you look harmless enough to me….come on up"

"Glad I pass your inspection…" he said, reaching out and offering to take the pizza off my hands.

I passed it over and gave him an appreciative smile before turning around and opening the door to the apartment building once again.


End file.
